Wellhead christmas tree assemblies require secure, leak proof connections to the upper end of the wellhead and the connecting means should allow for quick installation of the wellhead christmas tree and its quick and easy removal. Conventional wellhead connectors typically include a locking mechanism, an actuator for the locking mechanism, and complex means for maintaining the connector in the locked condition once the actuating force is removed. It is also desirable that the connecting means preclude conventional well operations from loosening or retracting the connector's latching mechanisms from the wellhead. Furthermore, while conventional wellhead connectors are designed to provide a means for unlocking its latching mechanism from the wellhead it is desirable that a means be provided for forcibly extracting the latching mechanisms from their latching positions.